Solar Sail Propulsion by 2050: an Enabling Capability For

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Solar Sail Propulsion by 2050: an Enabling Capability For Heliophysics 2050 White Papers (2021) 4009.pdf Solar Sail Propulsion by 2050: An Enabling Capability for Heliophysics Missions Les Johnson1, Nathan Barnes2, Matteo Ceriotti3, Artur Davoyan4, Louis Friedman5, Darren Garber6, Roman Kezerashvili7, Ken Kobayashi8, Greg Matloff9, Colin McInnes10, Pat Mulligan11, Grover Swartzlander12, Slava G. Turyshev13 1 NASA George C. Marshall Space Flight Center, 2 L’Garde, Inc., 3University of Glasgow, 4University of California, Los Angeles, 5The Planetary Society, 6Nextrac, Inc. 7New York City College of Technology, 8NASA George C. Marshall Space Flight Center, 9New York City College of Technology, 10University of Glasgow, 11NOAA, 12Rochester Institute of Technology, 13NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory INTRODUCTION, BENEFITS, and STATE-OF-THE-ART Solar sails provide extremely large ΔV (potentially many 10s of km/sec) enabling new vantage points for Heliophysics observations that are inaccessible or not practically implementable using conventional rocket propulsion. Solar sails obtain thrust by using lightweight materials that reflect sunlight to propel a spacecraft. The continuous photon pressure from the Sun’s rays provides thrust, with no need for the heavy, expendable primary propellants employed by conventional on-board chemical and electric propulsion systems that limit mission lifetime and observation locations. Sails are relatively low-cost to implement and the continuous solar photon pressure provides propellantless thrust to perform a wide range of advanced maneuvers, such as to hover indefinitely at points in space, or conduct high V orbital plane changes. Solar sail propulsion system can also propel a space vehicle to tremendous speeds—theoretically much faster than any present-day propulsion system. With solar propulsive energy, sails are propellantless, thereby significantly increasing useful payload mass. Solar sails enable missions to observe the solar environment from unique vantage points, such as sustained observations away from the Sun-Earth line (SEL); sustained sub-L1 (sunward of L1 along the SEL) station keeping for improving space-weather monitoring, prediction, and science,1 advancing a capability within the range of interest to NOAA,2 and supporting human spaceflight crew safety and health needs3; sustained in-situ Earth magnetotail measurements4; and, in the mid-term, those that require a high inclination solar orbit5 6; Earth polar-sitting and polar- viewing observatories;7 low perihelion and out-of-the-ecliptic missions; multiple fast transit missions to study heliosphere to interstellar medium transition, as well as missions of interest across a broad user community.8 Additionally, sail trajectory observation may provide a test of the fundamental principles of general relativity and a special relativistic effect, known as the Poynting–Robertson effect16a The curvature of spacetime, in conjunction with solar radiation pressure, affects bound orbital sail motion and leads to deviations from Kepler’s third law for heliocentric and non- Keplerian orbits16b, as well as to the new phenomenon for non-Keplerian orbits when the orbital plane precesses around the sun that is an analog of the Lense-Thirring effect.16b,9 In the early-to-mid 2000’s, NASA’s In-Space Propulsion Technology Project developed and tested two different 400 m2 solar sail systems in the Glenn Research Center’s Space Power Facility at Plum Brook Station, Ohio. In the summer of 2010, the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency, JAXA, launched a solar sail spacecraft named IKAROS in tandem with another mission to Venus. The IKAROS was the first in-flight demonstration of solar sailing.10 Numerous program objectives were achieved and included verification of solar radiation pressure effects and validation of in-flight guidance and navigation techniques. The goals of the NanoSail-D mission were demonstration of both the deployment of a 10-m2 sail from a three-unit CubeSat and the use of sail-induced acceleration for reducing de-orbit time. NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) and Ames Research Center (ARC) collaborated with MSFC responsible for the solar sail assembly and ARC responsible for the bus. NanoSail-D was launched in November 2010 and deployed in January 2011. The uncontrolled NanoSail-D spacecraft was expected to deorbit from the initial 650 km orbit altitude in 70–120 days, but it remained in orbit for 240 days prior to reentry.11 12 The LightSail 1 and 2 missions were the culmination of a decade-long program sponsored by the privately-funded Planetary Society. The LightSail 1 was launched into a 55o, 356 km × 705 km elliptical orbit where the 32 m2 sail was successfully deployed. LightSail 2, launched in 2019, demonstrated controlled solar sailing in LEO performing 90 degree slews in each orbit to harness momentum from solar photons. Flight data show that LightSail 2 successfully controlled its orientation relative to the Sun, and the controlled thrust from solar radiation pressure measurably reduced the rate of orbital decay.13 1 Heliophysics 2050 White Papers (2021) 4009.pdf The NASA Near Earth Asteroid Scout (NEAS) mission is led by NASA MSFC with support from JPL. Planned for launch on the Space Launch System Artemis 1 mission in 2021, NEAS will use an 86-m2 square solar sail to propel the 6U CubeSat bus on a reconnaissance flyby trajectory of a 100 m asteroid. NEAS represents the first space science mission that will utilize solar sailing to achieve its science objectives.14 The LaRC Advanced Composite Solar Sail System (ACS3) will demonstrate deployment of an approximately 74-m2 composite boom solar sail system in low-Earth orbit after 2021. The MSFC Solar Cruiser mission (now in competitive Phase A) will mature solar sail technology for use in future Heliophysics missions during its 2024 flight. If selected, Solar Cruiser mission will fly a >1600 m2 solar sail containing embedded reflectivity control devices and photovoltaic cells. The mission timeline includes deployment of largest sail ever flown, validation of all sail subsystems, controlled station-keeping inside of the Sun-Earth L1 point, demonstration of pointing performance for science imaging, and an increase in heliocentric inclination (out of the ecliptic plane).15 A mission to provide high-resolution, multi-pixel images of exoplanets has been studied for several years in a series of increasing NIAC studies (now in phase III) to reach and use the Solar Gravity Lens, beyond 600 AU from Earth. The mission would achieve escape velocities from the solar system > 100 km/s. An inner solar system Technology Demonstration Mission with a Solar Sail and Smallsat is proposed as part of this study.161718 CURRENT TECHNOLOGY AND NEAR-FUTURE IMPROVEMENTS: NanoSail-D, the LightSails, and development of NEAS and ACS3 provide the technology base for practical implementation of 3-12U CubeSat class missions. With the use of composite booms, NEAS-class sails with areas of 200 – 300 m2 are now realizable. The next step is the demonstration of the technologies needed to fabricate, fly, navigate and control 100 – 200 kg class missions using sails in the 1,500 to 7,000-m2 class. These are being developed and ground tested and are ready for demonstration in the proposed Solar Cruiser19. MID-TERM TECHNOLOGIES FOR MORE AMBITIOUS MISSIONS: Close solar approach in future missions will require novel solar sail materials. New Liquid Crystal Polymer film technology appears to possess the very low absorption manufacturability and toughness required. The long-chain molecules in these nematic crystals are optically birefringent, slowing light polarized along the long axis of the molecule compared to the short axis, their properties can be tailored to affect the force, and torque response without a change is macroscopic shape with lower power requirements than other methods.20 21 Monolayer graphene and graphene based composites offer advantages for these future systems. Graphene, for example, has low aerial density and provides much higher tensile strength22 and temperature capability up-to 4,000 K. Atomically thin graphene is examined as a promising stand-alone material for solar sails owing to its extremely low areal density making it ideal for extremely large sails that require close perihelion approaches. Other light, high-temperature materials such as aerographite23 are also under consideration. Further, ceramics, such as silicon nitride and silicon dioxide, are naturally transparent with very low losses in the visible and ultraviolet. These materials are refractory and possess high melting points (>2000K) making them potentially applicable for close perihelion approaches (4 − 20 solar radii) with minimal degradation. Close approach can be used to accelerate solar sails to unprecedented velocities - for example, a sail with a characteristic acceleration ≃ 3 mm/s2 performing an Oberth maneuver at 0.1AU perihelion may be accelerated to >20AU/yr cruise velocity and accelerations to 50AU/year are projected with new advance materials. CONCLUSION Solar sail technology is maturing rapidly and with the recent and planned in-space demonstrations will soon be ready for near-term science mission implementation. By 2050, it is feasible for sail-propelled missions to be studying the sun at many solar latitudes, including polar, sub-L1, and at various locations off the SEL. The first rapid sail-propelled missions to extrasolar destinations will be well underway, soon to return increased knowledge of the interstellar medium and perhaps our first images of exoplanets
Recommended publications
  • Fundamentals of Impulsive Energy Release in the Corona Heliophysics 2050 Workshop White Paper A
    Heliophysics 2050 White Papers (2021) 4093.pdf Fundamentals of impulsive energy release in the corona Heliophysics 2050 Workshop white paper A. Y. Shih (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center), L. Glesener (UMN), S. Krucker (UCB), S. Guidoni (Amer. Univ.), S. Christe (GSFC), K. Reeves (SAO), S. Gburek (PAS), A. Caspi (SwRI), M. Alaoui (GSFC/CUA), J. Allred (GSFC), M. Battaglia (FHNW), W. Baumgartner (MSFC), B. Dennis (GSFC), J. Drake (UMD), K. Goetz (UMN), L. Golub (SAO), I. Hannah (Univ. of Glasgow), L. Hayes (GSFC/USRA), G. Holman (GSFC/Emeritus), A. Inglis (GSFC/CUA), J. Ireland (GSFC), G. Kerr (GSFC/CUA), J. Klimchuk (GSFC), D. McKenzie (MSFC), C. Moore (SAO), S. Musset (Univ. of Glasgow), J. Reep (NRL), D. Ryan (GSFC/AU), P. Saint-Hilaire (UCB), S. Savage (MSFC), R. Schwartz (GSFC/AU), D. Seaton (NOAA), M. Stęślicki (PAS), T. Woods (LASP) Introduction Solar eruptive events are the most energetic and geo-effective space-weather drivers. They originate in the corona near the Sun’s surface as a combination of solar flares (impulsive bursts of radiation across the entire electromagnetic spectrum) and coronal mass ejections (CMEs; expulsions of magnetized plasma into interplanetary space). The radiation and energetic particles they produce can damage satellites, disrupt telecommunications and GPS navigation, and endanger astronauts in space. Many of the processes involved in triggering, driving, and sustaining solar eruptive events–including magnetic reconnection, particle acceleration, plasma heating, and energy transport in magnetized plasmas–also play important roles in phenomena throughout the Universe, such as in magnetospheric substorms, gamma-ray bursts, and accretion disks. The Sun is a unique laboratory to better understand these fundamental physical processes.
    [Show full text]
  • China's Touch on the Moon
    commentary China’s touch on the Moon Long Xiao As well as being a milestone in technology, the Chang’e lunar exploration programme establishes China as a contributor to space science. With much still to learn about the Moon, fieldwork beyond Earth’s orbit must be an international effort. hen China’s Chang’e 3 spacecraft geological history of the landing site. touched down on the lunar High-resolution images have shown rocky Wsurface on 14 December 2013, terrain with outcrops of porphyritic basalt, it was the first soft landing on the Moon such as Loong Rock (Fig. 2). Analysis since the Soviet Union’s Luna 24 mission of data collected by the penetrating in 1976. Following on from the decades- Chang’e 3 radar should lead to identification of the old triumphs of the Luna missions and underlying layers of regolith, impact breccia NASA’s Apollo programme, the Chang’e and basalt. lunar exploration programme is leading the China’s robotic field geologist Yutu has charge of a new generation of exploration Basalt outcrop Yutu rover stalled in its traverse of the lunar surface, on the lunar surface. Much like the earlier but plans for the Chang’e 5 sample-return space programmes, the China National mission are moving forward. The primary Space Administration (CNSA) has been objective of the mission will be to return developing its capabilities and technologies 100 m 2 kg of samples from the surface and depths step by step in a series of Chang’e missions UNIVERSITY STATE © NASA/GSFC/ARIZONA of up to 2 m, probably also in the relatively of increasing ambition: orbiting and Figure 1 | The Chinese Chang’e 3 spacecraft and smooth northern Mare Imbrium.
    [Show full text]
  • Lunar Flashlight & NEA Scout
    National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lunar Flashlight & NEA Scout A NanoSat Architecture for Deep Space Exploration Payam Banazadeh (JPL/Caltech) Andreas Frick (JPL/Caltech) EM-1 Secondary Payload Selection • 19 NASA center-led concepts were evaluated and 3 were down-selected for further refinement by AES toward a Mission Concept Review (MCR) planned for August 2014 • Primary selection criteria: - Relevance to Space Exploration Strategic Knowledge Gaps (SKGs) - Life cycle cost - Synergistic use of previously demonstrated technologies - Optimal use of available civil servant workforce Payload Strategic Knowledge Gaps Mission Concept NASA Centers Addressed BioSentinel Human health/performance in high- Study radiation-induced DNA ARC/JSC radiation space environments damage of live organisms in cis- • Fundamental effects on biological systems lunar space; correlate with of ionizing radiation in space environments measurements on ISS and Earth Lunar Flashlight Lunar resource potential Locate ice deposits in the Moon’s JPL/MSFC/MHS • Quantity and distribution of water and other permanently shadowed craters volatiles in lunar cold traps Near Earth Asteroid (NEA) NEA Characterization Slow flyby/rendezvous and Scout • NEA size, rotation state (rate/pole position) characterize one NEA in a way MSFC/JPL How to work on and interact with NEA that is relevant to human surface exploration • NEA surface mechanical properties 2 EM-1: Near Earth Asteroid (NEA) Scout concept WHY NEA Scout? – Characterize a NEA with an imager to address key Strategic
    [Show full text]
  • The Solar Cruiser Mission: Demonstrating Large Solar Sails for Deep Space Missions
    The Solar Cruiser Mission: Demonstrating Large Solar Sails for Deep Space Missions Les Johnson*, Frank M. Curran**, Richard W. Dissly***, and Andrew F. Heaton* * NASA Marshall Space Flight Center ** MZBlue Aerospace NASA Image *** Ball Aerospace Solar Sails Derive Propulsion By Reflecting Photons Solar sails use photon “pressure” or force on thin, lightweight, reflective sheets to produce thrust. NASA Image 2 Solar Sail Missions Flown (as of October 2019) NanoSail-D (2010) IKAROS (2010) LightSail-1 (2015) CanX-7 (2016) InflateSail (2017) NASA JAXA The Planetary Society Canada EU/Univ. of Surrey Earth Orbit Interplanetary Earth Orbit Earth Orbit Earth Orbit Deployment Only Full Flight Deployment Only Deployment Only Deployment Only 3U CubeSat 315 kg Smallsat 3U CubeSat 3U CubeSat 3U CubeSat 10 m2 196 m2 32 m2 <10 m2 10 m2 3 Current and Planned Solar Sail Missions CU Aerospace (2018) LightSail-2 (2019) Near Earth Asteroid Solar Cruiser (2024) Univ. Illinois / NASA The Planetary Society Scout (2020) NASA NASA Earth Orbit Earth Orbit Interplanetary L-1 Full Flight Full Flight Full Flight Full Flight In Orbit; Not yet In Orbit; Successful deployed 6U CubeSat 90 Kg Spacecraft 3U CubeSat 86 m2 >1200 m2 3U CubeSat 32 m2 20 m2 4 Near Earth Asteroid Scout The Near Earth Asteroid Scout Will • Image/characterize a NEA during a slow flyby • Demonstrate a low cost asteroid reconnaissance capability Key Spacecraft & Mission Parameters • 6U cubesat (20cm X 10cm X 30 cm) • ~86 m2 solar sail propulsion system • Manifested for launch on the Space Launch System (Artemis 1 / 2020) • 1 AU maximum distance from Earth Leverages: combined experiences of MSFC and JPL Close Proximity Imaging Local scale morphology, with support from GSFC, JSC, & LaRC terrain properties, landing site survey Target Reconnaissance with medium field imaging Shape, spin, and local environment NEA Scout Full Scale EDU Sail Deployment 6 Solar Cruiser Mission Concept Mission Profile Solar Cruiser may launch as a secondary payload on the NASA IMAP mission in October, 2024.
    [Show full text]
  • Solar Sail Propulsion for Deep Space Exploration
    Solar Sail Propulsion for Deep Space Exploration Les Johnson NASA George C. Marshall Space Flight Center NASA Image We tend to think of space as being big and empty… NASA Image Space Is NOT Empty. We can use the environments of space to our advantage NASA Image Solar Sails Derive Propulsion By Reflecting Photons Solar sails use photon “pressure” or force on thin, lightweight, reflective sheets to produce thrust. 4 NASA Image Real Solar Sails Are Not “Ideal” Billowed Quadrant Diffuse Reflection 4 Thrust Vector Components 4 Solar Sail Trajectory Control Solar Radiation Pressure allows inward or outward Spiral Original orbit Sail Force Force Sail Shrinking orbit Expanding orbit Solar Sails Experience VERY Small Forces NASA Image 8 Solar Sail Missions Flown Image courtesy of Univ. Surrey NASA Image Image courtesy of JAXA Image courtesy of The Planetary Society NanoSail-D (2010) IKAROS (2010) LightSail-1 & 2 CanX-7 (2016) InflateSail (2017) NASA JAXA (2015/2019) Canada EU/Univ. of Surrey The Planetary Society Earth Orbit Interplanetary Earth Orbit Earth Orbit Deployment Only Full Flight Earth Orbit Deployment Only Deployment Only Deployment / Flight 3U CubeSat 315 kg Smallsat 3U CubeSat 3U CubeSat 10 m2 196 m2 3U CubeSat <10 m2 10 m2 32 m2 9 Planned Solar Sail Missions NASA Image NASA Image NASA Image Near Earth Asteroid Scout Advanced Composite Solar Solar Cruiser (2025) NASA (2021) NASA Sail System (TBD) NASA Interplanetary Interplanetary Earth Orbit Full Flight Full Flight Full Flight 100 kg spacecraft 6U CubeSat 12U CubeSat 1653 m2 86
    [Show full text]
  • Materials Challenges for the Starshot Lightsail
    PERSPECTIVE https://doi.org/10.1038/s41563-018-0075-8 Materials challenges for the Starshot lightsail Harry A. Atwater 1*, Artur R. Davoyan1, Ognjen Ilic1, Deep Jariwala1, Michelle C. Sherrott 1, Cora M. Went2, William S. Whitney2 and Joeson Wong 1 The Starshot Breakthrough Initiative established in 2016 sets an audacious goal of sending a spacecraft beyond our Solar System to a neighbouring star within the next half-century. Its vision for an ultralight spacecraft that can be accelerated by laser radiation pressure from an Earth-based source to ~20% of the speed of light demands the use of materials with extreme properties. Here we examine stringent criteria for the lightsail design and discuss fundamental materials challenges. We pre- dict that major research advances in photonic design and materials science will enable us to define the pathways needed to realize laser-driven lightsails. he Starshot Breakthrough Initiative has challenged a broad nanocraft, we reveal a balance between the high reflectivity of the and interdisciplinary community of scientists and engineers sail, required for efficient photon momentum transfer; large band- Tto design an ultralight spacecraft or ‘nanocraft’ that can reach width, accounting for the Doppler shift; and the low mass necessary Proxima Centauri b — an exoplanet within the habitable zone of for the spacecraft to accelerate to near-relativistic speeds. We show Proxima Centauri and 4.2 light years away from Earth — in approxi- that nanophotonic structures may be well-suited to meeting such mately
    [Show full text]
  • Solar and Space Physics: a Science for a Technological Society
    Solar and Space Physics: A Science for a Technological Society The 2013-2022 Decadal Survey in Solar and Space Physics Space Studies Board ∙ Division on Engineering & Physical Sciences ∙ August 2012 From the interior of the Sun, to the upper atmosphere and near-space environment of Earth, and outwards to a region far beyond Pluto where the Sun’s influence wanes, advances during the past decade in space physics and solar physics have yielded spectacular insights into the phenomena that affect our home in space. This report, the final product of a study requested by NASA and the National Science Foundation, presents a prioritized program of basic and applied research for 2013-2022 that will advance scientific understanding of the Sun, Sun- Earth connections and the origins of “space weather,” and the Sun’s interactions with other bodies in the solar system. The report includes recommendations directed for action by the study sponsors and by other federal agencies—especially NOAA, which is responsible for the day-to-day (“operational”) forecast of space weather. Recent Progress: Significant Advances significant progress in understanding the origin from the Past Decade and evolution of the solar wind; striking advances The disciplines of solar and space physics have made in understanding of both explosive solar flares remarkable advances over the last decade—many and the coronal mass ejections that drive space of which have come from the implementation weather; new imaging methods that permit direct of the program recommended in 2003 Solar observations of the space weather-driven changes and Space Physics Decadal Survey. For example, in the particles and magnetic fields surrounding enabled by advances in scientific understanding Earth; new understanding of the ways that space as well as fruitful interagency partnerships, the storms are fueled by oxygen originating from capabilities of models that predict space weather Earth’s own atmosphere; and the surprising impacts on Earth have made rapid gains over discovery that conditions in near-Earth space the past decade.
    [Show full text]
  • Download Paper
    Feasibility study for a near term demonstration of laser-sail propulsion from the ground to Low Earth Orbit Edward E. Montgomery IV Nexolve/Jacobs ESSSA Group Les Johnson NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Herbert D. Thomas NASA Marshall Space Flight Center ABSTRACT This paper adds to the body of research related to the concept of propellant-less in-space propulsion utilizing an external high energy laser (HEL) to provide momentum to an ultra-lightweight (gossamer) spacecraft. It has been suggested that the capabilities of Space Situational Awareness assets and the advanced analytical tools available for fine resolution orbit determination make it possible to investigate the practicalities of a ground to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) demonstration at delivered power levels that only illuminate a spacecraft without causing damage to it. The degree to which this can be expected to produce a measurable change in the orbit of a low ballistic coefficient spacecraft is investigated. Key system characteristics and estimated performance are derived for a near term mission opportunity involving the LightSail 2 spacecraft and laser power levels modest in comparison to those proposed previously by Forward, Landis, or Marx. [1,2,3] A more detailed investigation of accessing LightSail 2 from Santa Rosa Island on Eglin Air Force Base on the United States coast of the Gulf of Mexico is provided to show expected results in a specific case. 1. BACKGROUND The design and construction of the Planetary Society’s LightSail 2 solar sail demonstration spacecraft has captured, in space flight hardware, the concept of small, yet capable spacecraft. The results of recent achievements in high power solid state lasers, adaptive optics, and precision tracking have also made it possible to access the effectiveness and reduced cost of an entry level laser power source.
    [Show full text]
  • Developing Technologies for Biological Experiments in Deep Space
    Developing technologies for biological experiments in deep space Sergio R. Santa Maria Elizabeth Hawkins Ada Kanapskyte NASA Ames Research Center [email protected] NASA’s life science programs STS-1 (1981) STS-135 (2011) 1973 – 1974 1981 - 2011 2000 – 2006 – Space Shuttle International Skylab Bio CubeSats Program Space Station Microgravity effects - Nausea / vomit - Disorientation & sleep loss - Body fluid redistribution - Muscle & bone loss - Cardiovascular deconditioning - Increase pathogenicity in microbes Interplanetary space radiation What type of radiation are we going to encounter beyond low Earth orbit (LEO)? Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCRs): - Interplanetary, continuous, modulated by the 11-year solar cycle - High-energy protons and highly charged, energetic heavy particles (Fe-56, C-12) - Not effectively shielded; can break up into lighter, more penetrating pieces Challenges: biology effects poorly understood (but most hazardous) Interplanetary space radiation Solar Particle Events (SPEs) - Interplanetary, sporadic, transient (several min to days) - High proton fluxes (low and medium energy) - Largest doses occur during maximum solar activity Challenges: unpredictable; large doses in a short time Space radiation effects Space radiation is the # 1 risk to astronaut health on extended space exploration missions beyond the Earth’s magnetosphere • Immune system suppression, learning and memory impairment have been observed in animal models exposed to mission-relevant doses (Kennedy et al. 2011; Britten et al. 2012) • Low doses of space radiation are causative of an increased incidence and early appearance of cataracts in astronauts (Cuccinota et al. 2001) • Cardiovascular disease mortality rate among Apollo lunar astronauts is 4-5-fold higher than in non-flight and LEO astronauts (Delp et al.
    [Show full text]
  • Performance Quantification of Heliogyro Solar Sails Using Structural
    PERFORMANCE QUANTIFICATION OF HELIOGYRO SOLAR SAILS USING STRUCTURAL, ATTITUDE, AND ORBITAL DYNAMICS AND CONTROL ANALYSIS by DANIEL VERNON GUERRANT B.S., California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo, 2005 M.S., California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo, 2005 A thesis submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School of the University of Colorado in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences 2015 This thesis entitled: Performance Quantification of Heliogyro Solar Sails Using Structural, Attitude, and Orbital Dynamics and Control Analysis written by Daniel Vernon Guerrant has been approved for the Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences ________________________________________ Dr. Dale A. Lawrence ________________________________________ Dr. W. Keats Wilkie Date______________ The final copy of this thesis has been examined by the signatories, and we find that both the content and the form meet acceptable presentation standards of scholarly work in the above mentioned discipline. Guerrant, Daniel Vernon (Ph.D., Aerospace Engineering Sciences) Performance Quantification of Heliogyro Solar Sails Using Structural, Attitude, and Orbital Dynamics and Control Analysis Thesis directed by Professor Dale A. Lawrence Solar sails enable or enhance exploration of a variety of destinations both within and without the solar system. The heliogyro solar sail architecture divides the sail into blades spun about a central hub and centrifugally stiffened. The resulting structural mass savings can often double acceleration verses kite-type square sails of the same mass. Pitching the blades collectively and cyclically, similar to a helicopter, creates attitude control moments and vectors thrust. The principal hurdle preventing heliogyros’ implementation is the uncertainty in their dynamics.
    [Show full text]
  • Highlights in Space 2010
    International Astronautical Federation Committee on Space Research International Institute of Space Law 94 bis, Avenue de Suffren c/o CNES 94 bis, Avenue de Suffren UNITED NATIONS 75015 Paris, France 2 place Maurice Quentin 75015 Paris, France Tel: +33 1 45 67 42 60 Fax: +33 1 42 73 21 20 Tel. + 33 1 44 76 75 10 E-mail: : [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Fax. + 33 1 44 76 74 37 URL: www.iislweb.com OFFICE FOR OUTER SPACE AFFAIRS URL: www.iafastro.com E-mail: [email protected] URL : http://cosparhq.cnes.fr Highlights in Space 2010 Prepared in cooperation with the International Astronautical Federation, the Committee on Space Research and the International Institute of Space Law The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs is responsible for promoting international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space and assisting developing countries in using space science and technology. United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs P. O. Box 500, 1400 Vienna, Austria Tel: (+43-1) 26060-4950 Fax: (+43-1) 26060-5830 E-mail: [email protected] URL: www.unoosa.org United Nations publication Printed in Austria USD 15 Sales No. E.11.I.3 ISBN 978-92-1-101236-1 ST/SPACE/57 *1180239* V.11-80239—January 2011—775 UNITED NATIONS OFFICE FOR OUTER SPACE AFFAIRS UNITED NATIONS OFFICE AT VIENNA Highlights in Space 2010 Prepared in cooperation with the International Astronautical Federation, the Committee on Space Research and the International Institute of Space Law Progress in space science, technology and applications, international cooperation and space law UNITED NATIONS New York, 2011 UniTEd NationS PUblication Sales no.
    [Show full text]
  • Presentazione Standard Di Powerpoint
    Copyright © Argotec S.r.l. 2020. All right Co reserved. - author and presenter: Cotugno presenter: Biagioand author Main author: author: SimoneMainSimonetti flight ofSLS towards the Moon Italian CubeSat technology to record the maiden ArgoMoon 1 Copyright © Argotec S.r.l. 2020. All right reserved. ARGOTEC Introduction 2 ARGOTEC Units and Locations Turin (IT) Headquarter – Engineering & R&D Labs Payloads SmallSat Avionics Cologne (DE) EAC – Training, Services and Operations Noordwijk (NL) ESTEC – Technical Support Training, Ops. R&D . 2020. All rightAll . 2020. 2020. All rightAll 2020. and Services S.r.l S.r.l Riverdale, MD (US) Argotec Argotec Argotec Inc – US brench © © 3 Copyright Copyright reserved.reserved. ARGOTEC Facilities Electronic Lab MultiLab Prototype Lab Thermal Lab Clean Room ISO 5 Mission Control Centre . 2020. All rightAll . 2020. S.r.l Argotec © COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL 4 Copyright reserved. Copyright © Argotec S.r.l. 2020. All right reserved. PLATFORM OVERVIEW 5 PLATFORM OVERVIEW Concept All-in-house . 2020. All rightAll . 2020. S.r.l Argotec © 6 Copyright reserved. PLATFORM OVERVIEW HAWK 6 - Deep Space Platform Deep Space communication Advanced maneuvering & attitude control and ranging capability High performance thruster with integrated RCS Compatible with DSN Exchangeable payload Tailored on mission needs 1.5 U of available volume Customized EPS and OBC with highly reliable space rated components . 2020. All rightAll . 2020. 2020. All rightAll 2020. S.r.l S.r.l Optimized for Deep space Radiation Argotec High protection structure Argotec © © 7 Copyright Copyright reserved.reserved. Copyright © Argotec S.r.l. 2020. All right reserved. HAWK 6 HAWK PLATFORM OVERVIEW - Deep Deep Space Platform 6U 8 Copyright © Argotec S.r.l.
    [Show full text]